Grain-weigher.



No. 719,700. PATENTED FEB. 3.1903.

0. SHERMAN.

GRAIN WBIGHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1902.

)I0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

CLARK SHERMAN, OF FRANKVILLE, IOWA.

GRAIN-WEIGHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,700, dated February 3, 1 903.

Application filed May 24, 1902. Serial No. 108,830. (No model.) Y

T 0 a/ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CLARK SHERMAN, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Frankville, in the county of Winneshiek and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Weighers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a weighing apparatus, and more particularly to an appliance which will be wholly automatic in its operation; and my invention consists of certain novel features of combination and construction of parts, the preferred form whereof will be fullyset forth in the following specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this application.

The object of myl invention is to provide reliably efficient mechanism which may be employed to meet all the requirements of such an appliance, as in grain-elevators and in cooperation with threshing-machines and other similar uses.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter made clearly apparent, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a central vertical section of my automatic appliance complete ready for use. Fig. 2 is a detail showing the upper end of the casing, the upper portion of the hopper, and certain coperating parts. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the hopper, showing a portion of the upper part of the casing in section and also illustrating the rock-shaft and coperating weights. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a section of the rock-shaft and cooperating bell-crank, while Fig. 5 shows the controlling-arms and weights thereon designed to be secured to the rock-shaft carrying the bellcrank.

Referring in detail to the various features of myinvention and the elements deemed necessary to illustrate a practical `application thereof to use, l and 2 represent a pair of preferably tubular throats or chutes separated from each other by a partition-wall 3, though it will be understood that said chutes may be rectangular or other shape in crosssection, if preferred, and are joined at their upper ends to or integrally formed with the enlarged portion or hopper-holding section 4, within which is pivotally suspended, as upon the journals 5, the hopper proper, 6, it being understood Vthat said hopper 6 may be suspended in any preferred way, as upon said journals or lugs 5 or upon a rod extending entirely across the hopper-section 4 at this point. The said hopper-section is open at its upper and lower end, and being flared at its upper end is designed to readily receive the falling grain as it is delivered from the machine or chute extending to the storage-bin.b

I also mount in suitable bearings in the hopper-section 4 the rock-shaft 7, which is provided near its central portion with a bellcrank 8, having a pair of arms 9, said bellcrank being rigidly keyed to said shaft and designed to move therewith. The rock-shaft 7 is of sufficient length to extend entirely through the hopper-section 4 at each end, and upon one end of said shaft I rigidly key the collar l0, having a pair of integral arms or levers 11, each carrying an adjustable weight 12, heldin an adj usted position by a set-screw 13 or equivalent means. To each of the branches 9 I pivotally connect a controllingrod 14, each of which extends downward into pivotal engagement with its respective valve or door 15. Each door is pivotally secured to a contiguous part of the casing, as indicated, by the hinges 16, and it will be observed that when a rocking movement is imparted to the shaft 7 the said valves will be alternately opened and closed for a purpose hereinafter particularly set forth.

It will be understood that a partition 3 extends upward to the height of the shaft 7 or sufficiently high to be cleared by the lower end of the hopper 6 as the latter is oscillated d urin g the operation of myautomatic weigher, and it is therefore clearly apparent that the contents from the hopper will be delivered into one of the chutes 1 or 2, according to the inclination of said hopper, which latter is controlled by the position of the valves 15.

In the position of the hopper illustrated in Fig. 1 it will be observed that the grain isl being directed to the chute 2 and will fall upon and be arrested by the valve 15, located IOS) in said chute and pivotally connected to the l rod 14. It will, furthermore, be apparent that the grain will continue to fall upon said valve until a sufficient quantity, by weight, is delivered as will overcome the weight upon the horizontally-disposed arm 11. When a sufficient quantity has thus been delivered into the chute 2, the valve or door 15 will be forced downward and the horizontally-disposed weight 12 will he elevated, causing the weight upon the other arm 11 to assume a horizontal position.

In order that the hopper-section proper, 6, may be simultaneously moved in sympathy with the opening and closing ofthe valves 15, I provide a pair of depending crank-arms 18 and 19, pivotally connected to the upper portion of said hopper and extending downward in the path of the arms 11, each of said depending crank-arms being provided with the angular extensions or crank-sections 2O and each crank being designed to engage its respective arm 11 and the weight carried thereby. When, therefore, the force of the moving weight 12 engages the crank 20, the impetus or force of said weight will tilt the hopper or oscillate the same upon its pivot-point or journal 5, and thus dispose the open lower end thereof upon the opposite side of the partition 3 and insure that the grain delivered into said hopper will thus be directed thereby into the chute 1 and open the closed door or valve 15, located near the bottom portion of said chute.

It will be further obvious that after a sufficient quantity of grain has been delivered upon the valve or door in the chute when necessary to overcome the weight carried by the horizontally-disposed arm 11 said valve will be opened by the weight of the grain, and said horizontally-disposed arm and the weight thereon will be elevated into a vertical position,thus repeating the operation indefinitely, and thereby automatically weighing the grain and delivering the same through the terminals 21 and 22 into a sack or other receptacle placed to receive it. Each arm 11'will therefore be brought into engagement with its respective crank-arm 18 or 19, thereby insuring that the hopper-section proper will be positively controlled by said means, and thus alternately direct the grain into the chutes 1 and 2.

By a proper adjustment of the weights 12 upon the arms 1l any desired quantity of grain may be delivered, as a full bushel, or any desired quantity greater or less than said amount may be rendered necessary to control the tripping mechanism employed to operate the valves.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be observed that the rocking shaft 7 may, if desired, be utilized to operate any preferred variety of registering mechanism, the boX or receptacle containing said registering mechanism being located adjacent to or secured against the casing or hopper-section 4, as indicated by the numeral 23. For instance, the graduated rod 24, comprising a threaded shaft and an adjustable weight 25 located thereon, may be rigidly connected to the shaft 7 and placed in connection with the controlling-arm 26 of the registering mechanism, as by means of the link 27 or equivalent device. The position of the shaft 24 is such that it is slightly inclined out of a true vertical position, thereby insuring that the weight 25 will move sui"- iciently to the right or left to reliably operate the registering mechanism. Since any variety of registering devices may be employed to keep tally of the number of bushels or quantity of grain passing through my automatic weighing apparatus, I deem it unnecessary to specifically describe any variety thereof, leaving it to the choice of the user to make such selection as will best meet the reqnirements of his particular case.

While I have described the preferred combination and construction of details deemed necessary in carrying out my invention, I wish to comprehend all substantial equivalents and substitutes as may be considered as falling fairly within the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein-described automatic weigher comprising a suitable frame having a bifurcated lower end and an enlarged upper end; a partition located in said frame; a hoppersection pivotally mounted in said enlarged end whereby its lower open end will be free to swing from side to side; a pair of doors or valves one in each branch of said bifurcated casing; a rock-shaft having a pair of depending arms pivotally connected to said valves; counterpoised levers rigidly secured to one end of said shaft and a registering con trollingarm carried by the other end of said shaft, in combination with suitable devices carried by said pivoted hopper and coperating with said connterpoised levers whereby said hopper will be controlled by said levers and directed to alternately deliver its contents, into each throat of the chute, all combined substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

2. An automatic weigher comprising a suitable frame having bifurcated lower end and vertical partition, a hopper-section pivotally mounted in the upper end above the said partition, valves one in each branch of said bifurcated lower end, a rock-shaft mounted above said partition and having pivotal connections with said valves, counterpoised, levers disposed diametrically to the arms on the rockshaft and rigidly connected to said shaft, a register controlling arm also carried by said shaft, means movable with and carried by said hopper and coperating with said counterpoised levers, whereby said hopper will be controlled by said levers and directed to alternately deliver its contents into each throat of the chute, substantially as described.

IOO

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3. An automatic wegher comprising a suitable frame having bifurcated lower end and vertical partition, a hopper-section pivotally mounted in the upper end above the said partition, valves one in each branch of said bifuroated lower end, a rook-shaft mounted above said partition and having pivotal connections with said valves, counterpoised levers vdisposed diametrioally to the arms on the roekshaft and rigidly connected to said shaft, a register Controlling arm also carried by said shaft, means movable with and carried by said hopper and cooperating with said counterpoised levers, whereby said hopper will be controlled by said levers and directed to alter- I5 nately deliver its contents into each throat of the chute, and a threaded shaft connected to the rook shaft and an adjustable weight thereon.

In testimony whereof I afX my signature zo in presence of two witnesses.

CLARK SHERMAN.

Witnesses:

H. G. JOHNSON, J. J. VAN WEY. 

